During World War II, Los Angeles was a major center for war production such as shipbuilding and aerospace.

L.A. area was home to six of the nation's major aircraft manufacturers (Douglas Aircraft Company, Hughes Aircraft, Lockheed, North American Aviation, Northrop Corporation, and Vultee). During the war, more airplanes were produced in one year than in all the pre-war years since the Wright brothers flew the first airplane in 1903.